This letter was sent to the District of Squamish council and copied to The Chief for publication.
Councillors Heintzman, Raiser and Lonsdale: I am taking the time to send you this email so that you are aware of my disappointment in your handling of the Garibaldi at Squamish issue ["Council divided over GAS," The Chief, Sept. 11].
Repeated attempts at delaying the application through DOS requests to suspend the process are in my view counterproductive, to this project and the future growth of Squamish.
There is already an established process in place for this and other projects to move through. Interfering with that does a disservice not just to the people and businesses of Squamish, but to the province of B.C. as a whole. Please consider putting your energies into working with the process and not against it.
There has been more than adequate time to seek answers to the questions you have raised in your recent motion. Surely as community leaders involved with countless projects of varied scope and impact you must realize that "concrete information" isn't available on every aspect at every moment.
I firmly suggest that you put more time into researching the areas that are of particular concern to you and accept that some answers will be worked out over time as dictated by factors, which cannot reasonably be known right now.
Allowing the environmental assessment process to run its course, unimpeded by actions such as your recent motion to suspend the environmental assessment yet again, is imperative to Squamish having a positive impact upon this project, should it go forward.
By working within the process you will have a better chance of addressing your concerns than by trying to work against it.
Continued efforts to uphold the process run the risk of seeing Squamish excluded from the process entirely and being a neighbour to the resort rather than having the resort as part of our town.
Obviously that scenario would not be ideal however it is one I would support the province in implementing should the DOS fail to properly engage the process, sooner rather than later.
Squamish cannot afford to miss this opportunity, nor can they afford to expect residential property holders to carry the cost of operating this community into the future.
As one of your constituents, representing five citizens of Squamish, I urge you to immediately reconsider your approach to this issue and demonstrate a more positive course of action in your handling of this matter.
Kudos to councillors Lalli, Race, Kirkham and Mayor Gardner for choosing to vote the motion down. A very quick note to commend you on your recent voting down of Coun. Lonsdale's motion to suspend the environmental assessment process of the GAS proposal.
Mayor Gardner, your observation that "such a motion isn't in the best interests of the community" is stating the obvious and is a refreshing tone to hear from council on this issue.
Coun. Race, your comment that "by opposing the motion you are not endorsing the project" is also a crucial idea that needs to be clearly understood both in council and within the broader community.
We can support moving through the process and the general project without feeling that we are signing off on anything and everything to do with it. Moving forward is imperative to gain any sort of benefit, opposing the whole process on individual points, concerns or fears is irresponsible and risks losing our voice in this very important debate.
Again, thank you for your recent decisions. I look forward to seeing Squamish deal with this project as quickly and professionally as possible.
Richard Tripp
Squamish
